Nothing subpar at this substation

Deepa Bharath

Costa Mesa’s Westside substation hardly looks like a police

substation.

It has an air of informality about it. It’s almost like walking

into a warm and cozy living room to be welcomed by the friendliest

faces and warmest smiles.

For more than 10 years, the substation has been run almost

exclusively by senior volunteers.

They perform a variety of tasks -- fingerprinting, licensing

bicycles, data entry and taking messages.

The system works perfectly, said 72-year-old Margie Walker, who

has been a volunteer for eight years.

“We all work shifts, and if one person can’t do it at some time,

we cover for each other, too,” she said.

Walker lives in Huntington Beach, but she worked in Costa Mesa for

34 years before retiring in 1993. She does one eight-hour shift every

week and extra hours whenever necessary.

The substation is like “one big happy family,” Dwight Moore said.

This 72-year-old Newport Beach resident and former attorney

retired in 1996. He has volunteered at the substation for five years.

“I like it here because you get an opportunity to be of service to

the community,” he said. “Also it saves the city some money because

they don’t have to hire anyone to do these jobs.”

For Anita Wells, it’s a “50-50 proposition.”

“The city is helping me out by giving me something to do,” the

82-year-old Huntington Beach resident said. “And I, in turn,

volunteer my services.”

Wells said she retired about seven years ago and “just couldn’t

stay home.”

“I love working here,” she said. “It’s something different every

day. I could sit at home and do crossword puzzles and read books. But

that’s for the evening. This gives me something to do during the

day.”

It’s also a great outlet for seniors, Wells said.

“”If you sit down, you get old,” she said. “That’s why you have to

keep moving.”